A Binge too Far #49: The Hot Shots! duo (1991 – 1993)

 

Charlie Sheen in a promotional shot for Hot Shots! (1991)

Nowadays people get their laughs from Instagram reels and get entertained by stand-up comedians, but back in the 1990s the comedy genre was still cinematically big enough to guarantee blockbusters such as the Hot Shots! (1991 – 1993) duo to be made.

 

Hot Shots! (1991) poster

Hot Shots! (1991)

 

Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen) is a fighter pilot who falls in love with the force’s psychiatrist (a very sexy Valeria Golino), who will try to put some balance in his unstable life, but things get trickier when the protagonist will participate on a suicide mission.

 

Written by Jim Abrahams (who also directed) and Pat Proft (who also executive produced), this is a big budget (Bill Badalato produced on a $26 million and the film was distributed by 20^th Century Fox) parody of the then-recent Top Gun (1986) sensation (we tackled it on a previous post), but it also satirizes iconic scenes from other mainstream pictures of the time, including 9½ Weeks (1986) and Superman (1978). Nobody did surreal and wild comedies like Abrahams back then and even those who did never had his success, and Hot Shots! (1991) went on to gross a stunning $181.1 million, guaranteeing a sequel.

 

Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)

Hot Shots! Part Deux (1993)

 

Topper Harley (Charlie Sheen) is now a Rambo-like soldier on a mission to save war prisoners from Iraq that is under the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein (Jerry Haleva), but in the meanwhile he has to put his personal life in order as he is romantically desired by his old girlfriend Ramada (Valeria Golino) and a C.I.A. sex bomb (Brenda Bakke).

 

Written by Jim Abrahams (who also directed) and Pat Proft (who also executive produced) this bombastic sequel (it was budgeted at $25 million) is also funnier than the original, as it parodies the plot structure and main characters of Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985), but also incorporates many scenes that satirize then-recent hits such as Basic Instinct (1992). It grossed $133.8 million, so it’s surprising that we didn’t see more of the same.

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A Binge too Far #46: Airplane! duo (1980 – 1982)

Leslie Nielsen and Robert Hays in Airplane! (1980)

Taking its cue from the disaster film genre in general and Zero Hour! (1957) in particular, the Airplane! (1980 – 1982) duo is treating us with some really outrageous comedy!

 

Airplane! (1980) poster

Airplane! (1980)

 

A goofy ex-fighter pilot (Robert Hays) must take control of a commercial airplane when all crew members become ill with food poisoning. Will he manage to land it safely and win the love of his ex-girlfriend (Julie Hagerty)? Will the only doctor (Leslie Nielsen) on board help matters or will he prove equally goofy?

 

The writing and directing team of Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Jerry Zucker make a slapstick parody of the disaster film genre without becoming too removed from the source material, and deliver a wild comedy that became a phenomenon. It grossed a stunning $171 million on a modest $3.5 million budget and even won a few awards, along with critical appreciation.

 

Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

Airplane II: The Sequel (1982)

 

It is now the future, and a commercial flight to space is suffering a computer malfunctions that changes its route to the sun. Ted Striker (Robert Hays) recently escaped from a psychiatric ward and it is now up to him to save the day.

 

With the original team behind the glorious original comedy nowhere on sight and with Ken Finkelman handling both writing and directing duties, this is funny enough to guarantee for a good time, but nowhere near as outrageous as the first outing. Julia Hagerty is also welcomingly back, but the absence of Leslie Nielsen hurt the proceedings. A third instalment was announced but since this grossed a mere $27.2 million on a $15 million budget, these plans never materialized.

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